1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus with a fixing unit, a method to control the image forming apparatus, and a computer readable medium to store a computer readable program to control the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus having a fixing unit, in which an image formed in a developer agent on a sheet is thermally fixed thereon, is known. The fixing unit may include a heating member to convey heat to the sheet, a heater to heat the heating member, and a heat sensor to detect a temperature in the heating member. In particular, the heat sensor may detect a temperature in an outer part of the heating member, which is laterally outside a pathway for the sheet being conveyed.
In the conventional fixing unit, heat in the heating member in an inner part coincident with the pathway for the sheet may be absorbed by the sheet being conveyed, while heat in the outer part of the heating member coincident with the laterally outside area of the pathway may accumulate. As the image forming apparatus continues forming images, the outer part of the heating member coincident with the laterally outside area of the pathway may be heated excessively. Therefore, the image forming apparatus may take an action to switch the heater off and abort feeding sheets when the heat sensor detects the temperature in the outer part of the heating member being higher than a predetermined degree so that the heating member may be prevented from being overheated in the outer part.